Oskar Pearce

Name: Pearce, Oskar David

Gender: Male

Age: Eighteen [18]

Grade: Senior [12th]

School: Cochise High School

Hobbies and Interests: Cheerleading, image control, reading, singing, and socialising.

Appearance: Oskar is notably diminutive in appearance, standing fractionally above 5’2” and fluctuating around 115 pounds. His build is fairly average, though it’s toned from his time on the cheerleading squad and regular sessions of Pilates. It’s obvious from a glance that Oskar places a large amount of stock in his appearance, making a concerted effort to look his best at all times. Oskar devotes a large portion of his free time to his appearance, undergoing daily facial routines that’ve left his naturally pale skin free of blemishes; regularly whitening his teeth; and shaving his legs. Oskar’s never been described as ‘handsome’, though he’s often been labeled as ‘pretty’ or ‘cute’ in its place; his features being pleasant, if not a little plain. He’s also fairly androgynous in appearance and is often mistaken for a girl, something not helped by his high-pitched voice and fairly effeminate mannerisms. Ovular in shape, Oskar’s face is accented with wide blue eyes and a button nose that leads way to a pair of plump and cupid’s bow lips, which are currently adorned with a set of spiderbites – a piercing he had done as an eighteenth birthday present for himself. His strawberry blonde hair reaches his shoulders and is accentuated by a lengthy ‘emo fringe’ that’s typically brushed lightly to the side and reaches his right eye. It’s naturally curly in nature and tends to flare out near the ends, though Oskar straightens it religiously, thinking it looks neater that way. He usually leaves it down, though it’s not uncommon to see it pulled back into a ponytail or loose topknot and restrained by brightly-coloured bow.

Due to his family’s fragile economic situation, Oskar can’t afford much in the way of brand names or designer clothing. Rather than try to imitate trends, he instead attempts to cultivate a style that’s both affordable and matches the public image he wishes to project. Oskar’s frugal spending and keen eye for bargains means he’s accrued a wide variety of clothing, matching his eclectic sense of style. Never being the one to turn down a chance to draw attention, his wardrobe boasts a number of outrageous and bizarre garments, ranging from a vibrant lime green blazer jacket to cheap Disney memorabilia to an assortment of tunics; he refuses to believe that two items of clothing can’t go together. For footwear, Oskar usually wears his favourite white imitation Vans, which he’s embellished with sequins and various shades of glitter. He owns several different sets of shoelaces in a variety of colours, which he interchanges to keep his shoes interesting. He occasionally accessorises, choosing from an assortment of leg warmers, kerchiefs, and fingerless gloves, but usually abstains from jewellery, as he wants his spider bites to stick out by themselves. Oskar rarely wears hats unless it’s for warmth during the cold, as he feels they detract from his hair’s lustre; when headwear is absolutely necessary, however, he dons a denim trapper hat. In general, he likes wearing eye-burningly bright colours and quirky patterns, as he feels they make him stand out more in a crowd. Oskar usually carries a cream-coloured messenger bag on his person, adorned with several buttons advertising his favoured musicians or containing inspirational quotes. When abducted, Oskar was wearing an oversized multicoloured patchwork cardigan over a form-fitting pale purple t-shirt depicting the face of Sleeping Beauty’s Princess Aurora. Below that, he wore tight, bright yellow jean shorts and his signature imitation Vans, this time adorned with bright orange laces, along with a pair of fingerless white gloves studded with faux rhinestones and his constant messenger bag.

Biography: Michael Pearce, a high school dropout working at a gas station, and Tabitha Rosen, a recent community college graduate, were introduced to each other at a dinner party by a mutual friend. Both of them were fresh out of long-term relationships which had turned nasty in their later stages, and were eager to move on with someone new. They hit off right away, and proceeded to casually date for a few months; Tabitha’s mother, Cecilia, quietly disapproved of the match, but was able to swallow her criticisms due to her wish for her daughter to be happy. Although Tabitha was the owner of a Bachelor’s degree in Art History, she found it difficult to find stable work in the field, but was, however, able to fall back on the secretarial training she undertook at high school and got a job as a PA to a local accountant. Together, and with the help of Cecilia, the two were able to scrap together enough funds to move in together, finding a cheap apartment. Tabitha became pregnant shortly afterwards, and although they initially considered termination due to their still relatively delicate financial status, decided to carry through to full-term after great discussion. Eight months later, on November 20th, 1996, their sole child, Oskar, was born.

Tabitha’s job was much more secure and better paying than Michael’s, so the couple made the decision for Tabitha to return to work after her maternity leave and Michael to leave his job and become a stay-at-home father. He initially greeted his newfound fatherhood with enthusiasm, but quickly found that it reminded him too much of the parenting role he’d been forced to assume with his younger sister while his own parents were very busy with work; a job he was none to eager to take back up. As a result, Michael often ended up occupying Oskar with more solitary activities that required a reduced amount of supervision, such as situating Oskar in front of the television for large periods of time while Disney movies played, or getting him to curl up with a book.

Although Oskar greatly enjoyed Disney movies, mesmerised by the vibrant imagery and gallant heroes, he took to reading even more readily, devouring anything he could get his hands on. He found books more appealing, as his imagination didn’t have the budgetary constraints films did, and his parents’ conjoined love for literature meant the house was brimming with books of all genres; providing him with a lot more variety than their limited collection of films. He found himself drawn predominantly towards fairy tales or stories inspired by such, enjoying the happy endings, flawless romances, and generally positive worldviews they contained.

When Oskar first entered preschool he was initially very quiet, being unused to having many other children of his age around him, and preferred to sit and read by himself. However, with his teachers’ gentle encouragement and the help of some of his more naturally social peers, he rapidly blossomed into a bubbly, energetic young boy. The large vocabulary he inherited from his voracious reading helped him in this area, and his wish to demonstrate it led to him becoming an extremely talkative individual. This talkative nature appeared at home as well, particularly during the open discussion his parents encouraged over dinner; with Oskar regularly describing every one of his days in great detail. He showcased an extremely idealistic view of the world, one that Michael was quick to discourage due to his distaste for it and the influences of his own parents, both of whom were generally very pessimistic. By way of contrast, Cecilia had mollycoddled Tabitha after her messy divorce, and her daughter continued this trait whenever looking after Oskar, indulging him whenever possible. Thus, Oskar remained both bubbly, friendly, and talkative, but slowly developed a level of timidity; his father’s words of warning were developed without tact – a common problem for Michael, whom refused to sugarcoat anything. This made Oskar slightly fearful about many things, requiring many confidence boosts and reassurances from his peers whenever he tried something with which he was unfamiliar.

Upon entering elementary school, Oskar’s sweet yet demure nature made him appealing to a group of older girls, who enjoyed his company and wanted to instil more confidence within him. They encouraged him to be open about his love of reading and Disney films, and assuaged his fears that people would dislike him for being an optimistic individual. This treatment was similar to how his grandmother acted whenever Oskar would come to visit; Tabitha’s brothers both lived in Canada, so Tabitha and Oskar were Cecilia’s only remaining lifeblood that she could see on a regular basis. Additionally, as Oskar was her lone grandchild, Cecilia spoiled him, and loved his eagerness to help her in the kitchen and tend to her garden. Oskar looked forward to these visits, and although they were initially sporadic due to the cost of travelling between his home and Cecilia’s (in the midst of Las Vegas), the enthusiasm of both parties turned them into a fortnightly occurrence. These positive female role models in his early years led Oskar to find socialising with girls to be an easier and less nervewracking experience, leading the male:female ratio of his friend group skewed toward the latter.

It was during the tale end of middle school and as he began to enter puberty that Oskar began to question his sexuality for the first time. Although he’d never questioned his attraction to girls, Oskar couldn’t help but notice how attractive several of his male classmates were. Sexuality was not a topic often discussed in the Pearce household, so he’d grown up with only a basic understanding of it; that someone was either gay or straight, and that there was no in-between. This was initially a source of concern to Oskar, who feared that something might be wrong with him, or that his feelings for girls in the past would be invalidated by his attraction to boys. However, after a quick Google search and sifting through several Wikipedia articles, he came to the conclusion that he was bisexual. Oskar opted not to come out to his parents, fearing any potentially negative reaction, but took solace in the knowledge that his sexuality was a common, normal thing.

It was also at this time that Oskar developed his talent at singing. He had always had a love for music and could often be found in his bedroom, dancing around to whatever hits the radio was currently broadcasting, but it wasn’t until he joined the school choir that he realised he had a particularly impressive voice with a versatile range; earning a place as one of the sopranos of the group. He took to singing like a duck to water, performing at school events (both with the choir and by himself) and participating in competitions. After joining choir, Oskar began to look into a wider range of music, and quickly established himself as a fan of bubblegum pop, loving the upbeat nature of the music and its lyrics, as well as some rap artists, appreciating the intensity and sincerity of some of their songs. Singing also provides a method of stress relief and an outlet for his emotions, and it isn’t uncommon to find him taking a long shower and belting out pop music and songs from Disney films after a long day.

As he entered high school, Oskar began to take note of the cliques that were forming as his friends divided themselves into separate groups. Disheartened at this, he decided that he’d try and become friends with as many new people as he could, and signed up for an abundance of clubs. In addition to the choir and book club, he also joined the cheerleading team. Although initially somewhat hesitant regarding the sport, he found it was a good way to get some well-needed exercise and spend time with friends. He loves being able to compete and rally up support at games and the like, making good use of his peppy and enthusiastic nature. Oskar still cheers today, where his small frame makes him an excellent flyer, letting him perform acrobatics and throws easily.

Unfortunately, midway through Oskar’s sophomore year of high school, Tabitha tragically passed away when she fell asleep at the wheel of her car after a lengthy day at work. Her death affected the Pearce family not only emotionally, but financially as well; barely able to grieve, Michael was forced to take over Tabitha’s role as the breadwinner and take on a job for the first time since his teenaged years in order to preserve the family’s lifestyle, while Oskar pitched in by working regular shifts at a local bookstore, owned by his friend Tiresias Morales’ mother. Their financial situation was worsened further as Michael began to slip further into heavy drinking, an adolescent addiction that’d been kept under control with Tabitha’s presence but ended up becoming a consolation and method of stress relief for a now heavily-depressed Michael. Another method Michael adopted to cope with his grief was promiscuity; quite the ladies’ man, Michael ran through several girlfriends (often at the same time as one another) in the immediate aftermath of Tabitha’s death, never quite understanding Oskar’s confused reaction and at the unintentionally icy reception he gave them. To Oskar, his father’s sleeping around is a sign of disrespecting Tabitha’s memory, and is a source of both bitterness for him and tension between the two of them.

With his own personal issues to deal with, Michael didn’t attend to his similarly grieving son as much as he perhaps should have. Subsequently, Oskar looked to his friends and peers to provide the solace his father wasn’t, seeking their attention and affection wherever he could get it. Viewing the ‘popular’ kids of the school to be the most cherished and well-liked of his classmates, Oskar began to emulate them in many ways. He took note of the esteem garnered by more athletic and fashion-conscious students and began to devote more time towards adopting a healthier lifestyle and improving his appearance, including developing his own quirky fashion sense to reflect his personality, taking regular sessions of pilates to help reduce stress and keep his weight down, and paying more attention to his diet; cutting down on snacks and eating as healthily as he can – though he has a fondness for chocolate and often indulges during moments of weakness. Believing that no one likes a downer, his naturally bubbly and energetic demeanour became even more manic as he started to bury his negative feelings and insecurities under a thick layer of simulated positivity and happiness.

Oskar’s attempts to earn the love of his classmates have proved moderately successful, propelling him into the midst of the popular crowd; though he still makes a concerted effort to socialise with those outside the ‘inner circle’ as well. He’s known for not taking personal space into account (and can be a little too touchy-feely with people as a result), and for being peppy and cheerful to everyone; though his happy-go-lucky nature is more often a front than anything else, which can come across as forced or fake without him meaning for it to. Oskar uses any excuse to hang out with his friends, frequently attending parties and the like. He’s tried alcohol at these parties, knowing what a debilitating effect it’s had on his father has dulled his enjoyment of doing so to the point where he actively tries to avoid drinking it. To avoid seeming like a buzzkill, he never refuses any beverages offered to him; instead leaving it untouched or pouring it into a pot plant. Besides the threat of taking a turn like his father, another counterpoint to drinking for Oskar is his concern with image; he tries to keep a clear head at all times, to make sure he can stop himself from saying anything that might damage his reputation as bubbly, cute, and innocent.

Another aspect in which Oskar carefully controls his public image is his sexuality; he projects himself as being sexually naïve, a lover of romance, and a virgin. In truth, Oskar has an average amount of knowledge when it comes to sexual matters, and just never chooses to act on any feelings of lust he may experience regarding his classmates as he feels it doesn’t meld well with the innocent and sweet image he wishes to project. However, a recent one-night stand he had with Isaac Brea has led him to reconsider this self-imposed restriction, especially as high school nears its conclusion. He does use the dating application Tinder, however, and has had a small handful of occasional sporadic casual encounters over the past few years with several boys and girls throughout the surrounding area, only doing so if he’s sure it won’t come out at school.

In the years since Tabitha’s passing, Oskar and Michael’s relationship has deteriorated significantly. The two are on tense terms for the most part, and although they both have phases where efforts are made to improve things, it always falls back to clipped sentences and a negative atmosphere in the household. He can be quite cold and dismissive towards his father, feeling Michael’s promiscuity to be disrespecting Tabitha’s memory, and doesn’t attempt to bond with any of his father’s girlfriends under the belief that their relationship won’t last very long. Oskar’s submissive nature is often taken advantage of by Michael, whom vents his frustration at lack of finances, his love life, and other issues in general in the form of yelling matches towards his son. Though his father’s quick to apologise to him afterwards, Oskar doesn’t forgive or forget these occurrences and wants to move out as quickly as he can so as to avoid the further destruction they’re causing to his self-esteem. Additionally, Oskar’s dislike of his father has manifested itself in the form of several acts of rebellion, including growing his hair long and getting his lip pierced; both acts that were enough to earn his father’s ire, but not enough to warrant punishment in Michael’s eyes. Perhaps due to his tumultuous relationship with his father, Oskar has an overwhelming desire for approval and is prone to being manipulated if he feels the outcome will result in someone liking him more. This has resulted in him participating in several unhealthy relationships that he continues to maintain even if he becomes aware of their true nature, his desire for affection overwhelming his sense of self-worth.

Oskar’s relationship with Cecilia, however, has remained unwaveringly positive. The duo have kept up their regular visits over the years, having established a firm bond over time. They bake, sing, and garden together, and Cecilia is one of the few people Oskar feels he can be himself around, and staying at her house gives him the opportunity to lower his defences a little. Cecilia often tells Oskar stories about his mother, which helps him feel a lot closer to her – especially since Michael is often reluctant to discuss his former wife.

Academically, Oskar achieves well in most areas, having developed rigorous study habits in an effort to please his teachers. He excels in English and Music, his love of literature and singing propelling him near the top of the class in both areas, whilst he requires occasional help for Science classes; finding the multitude of complex formulae to be daunting. Although Oskar is excited by the prospect of college as it will enable him to move out of home and away from the negativity it provides, he is also deeply saddened by the idea of leaving high school and his friends. He enjoys his popularity and social life, and is fearful that he will be unable to maintain his carefully-cultivated image once he moves on to higher education; an idea that stresses him greatly. Additionally, Oskar is at a loss when it comes what he actually wants to study; he’s looked into pursuing a conjoint Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Music (due to his passion for those areas), but is worried about the practical application of such a degree, and is considering a Bachelor of Communications (with an eye towards Public Relations) to make use of his personable nature as an alternative. He’s been accepted into both the University of Washington and Georgetown University, and is currently deciding which of the two to attend.

Advantages: Oskar is very socially adept, being able to converse fluently with just about anyone, and will likely have little problem forming alliances. He isn’t somebody who stands out at first glance as a likely threat, so he may be underestimated or considered a lower priority target. He’s surprisingly athletic for his small stature, cheerleading and pilates having left him in decent shape.

Disadvantages: Being as small as he is, Oskar may find himself a target for larger kids who identify him as an easy target due to how easy he’d be to overpower. Oskar can be somewhat needy; his self-esteem is rather tied to how others think of him, and he yearns to be liked and accepted, making him potentially quite susceptible to manipulation. He has a tendency to unhealthily bottle up his emotions, which could easily hurt him in a high-pressure situation like SOTF.

Designated Number: Male student No. 027

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Designated Weapon: Walther P99

Conclusion: Wow, lucky draw! I was having doubts when I saw just how tiny this kid is, but size isn't shit if he knows how to pull a trigger. I'll give him points for being a cheerleader too. What, you thought I was going to judge him for that? I mean, I was a dancer too, kiddo. - Dennis Lourvey

'The above biography is as written by SansaSaver. No edits or alterations to the author's original work have been made.'

Evaluations
Handled by: SansaSaver, NotAFlyingToy

Kills: 

Killed By: 

Collected Weapons: Walther P99 (assigned weapon)

Allies: 

Enemies: 

Mid-game Evaluation: Oskar awoke alone in a nettle patch in the chapel garden, and set about to working with the flowers at hand on his lonesome. Caedyn Miller and Jane Madison made their presences known, Oskar approached after keeping a distance from both, but he carefully lied about the nature of his weapon, naming the gloves he'd worn instead of his gun. The girls argued among themselves, Oskar tried to appeal to both, asking Jane for medical assistance for scratches he'd suffered over his leg lying in the nettle patch.

Post-Game Evaluation: 

Memorable Quotes:

Threads
Below is a list of threads that contain Oskar, in chronological order.

The Past:
 * Mother Knows Best

V6 Pregame:
 * Ice Cream Truck Beat
 * Goodbye May Seem Forever
 * All in the Golden Afternoon

V6:
 * God Help the Outcasts

Your Thoughts
''Whether you were a fellow handler in SOTF or just an avid reader of the site, we'd like to know what you thought about Oskar Pearce. What did you like, or dislike, about the character? Let us know here!''